Talk About Bad Luck!

A Philadelphia man who says he was shot by Colts WR Marvin Harrison last year has reportedly been shot again.

Philadelphia television station WTXF and the Philadelphia Daily News report that 33year-old Dwight Dixon was shot multiple times Tuesday. The shift director at Hahnemann University Hospital said Dixon was in critical condition late Tuesday.

When contacted by The AP late Tuesday, police said detectives were still at the scene of the shooting and no information was available.

2009 Fantasy Football Draft: And we thought Marvin was having problems... like finding a NFL team to play for - or a way onto your fantasy team!

Roethlisberger's Thursday Press Conference Canceled

A press conference scheduled for Thursday at the Steelers UPMC training facility on the South Side to promote quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's reality television show competition with Shaquille O'Neal has been canceled.

The cancellation comes one day after news surfaced of a civil lawsuit that was filed July 17 in Nevada by a woman claiming Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her in 2008.

A spokesman for ABC said the taping of the television show "Shaq Vs." will still take place Friday at Ambridge's Moe Rubenstein Stadium and is to be shown on ABC-TV Aug. 18. Gates will open at 7 p.m. with taping to begin around 8:30 p.m., said Ambridge athletic director Randy Cosgrove, later than the schedule announced earlier this week. Attendance will be limited to about 7,500 people.

In the meantime, an NFL spokesman said today that the league did not have enough information on the civil lawsuit against Roethlisberger to comment, nor determine how it might apply to the Personal Conduct Policy under commissioner Roger Goodell.

Said Greg Aiello, the NFL senior vice president of public relations in an email to the Post-Gazette: "The facts are not clear; it's a civil matter, and it's premature to comment on how the Personal Conduct Policy applies, if at all."

The NFL's Personal Conduct Policy gives the commissioner wide leeway to discipline a player he judges to have violated the league's standard of conduct. An infraction does not have to result in a crime nor, apparently, does it have to be judged by the courts to be illegal.



Read more from Ed Bouchette at the post-gazette

Michael Vick Released From Federal Custody

AP reports that suspended NFL star Michael Vick's federal dogfighting sentence ended Monday, freeing him to lobby for a return to the field.

Vick's attorney Lawrence Woodward told The Associated Press outside Vick's suburban Virginia home that the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback had been released from federal custody as scheduled. That means Vick no longer has to wear the electronic monitor he's had on while under home confinement for the last two months of his 23-month sentence.

Shortly before Woodward came out of the house, two men in a government car with a federal Bureau of Prisons folder on the dashboard paid a brief visit to the home. They carried a large case similar to the one that Vick's ankle monitor was delivered in when he started home confinement. The men declined to identify themselves or speak to waiting reporters.

Freedom will allow Vick to step up his efforts to resume his pro football career. Vick hopes to soon meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who has said he would review Vick’s status after Vick completed his sentence.

Romo To Simpson: Happy Birthday - You're Dumped!

Tony Romo called it quits with Jessica Simpson the night before her 29th birthday, People.com reports.

"She is heartbroken," says the source. "She loves Tony. But it's been difficult lately. He's busy with his career and she's getting ready to shoot her show (The Price of Beauty). They decided to part ways."

Speculation of the couple's recent split arose when the Dallas Cowboys quarterback and 14 of his friends partied at Hollywood hotspot MyHouse on Friday night – Simpson's 29th birthday – without the birthday girl.

This isn't the first break-up for the couple, who began dating in 2007.

Romo reportedly dumped Simpson last May, but was able to patch things up in time to attend sister Ashlee Simpson’s wedding a few days later.

The couple’s split may be good news to Cowboys fans as Simpson, who wore a pink No. 9 jersey to games, was thought to be bad luck to Romo's football performance. The singer was even nicknamed "Yoko Romo."

How To Have A 'Fantasy Bust' 2009 - Part 1

How to have a 'fantasy bust' 2009 - Part 1: No - I don't mean Megan Fox. We're talking about how to make sure your 2009 Fantasy Football Draft sucks!

Part 1: Drafting an overrated running back with your first pick.

We can see it coming this year - he's ranked in almost everyone's top five (number 1 by many.) He used to share time with "I can't get no respect" Fred Taylor. He's quick and elusive - with good hands to boot! It's one of this year's most overrated running backs...

Maurice Jones-Drew!

MJD usually ends up with great statistics for the year - but it usually takes him several games to get warmed up.

>Begin dream sequence...

Excited by the start of the season, you plug your first-round running back (MJD) into the money slot... He averages less than 8 points a game and causes you to lose 5 out of your first 8 by two points or less. Season Over! You are still kicking yourself for not taking Brian Westbrook at this point.

The good news, you start to think, is that it's Game 8 of the season and he is starting to heat up (finally!) You rest him this week, however, because of the tough match-up. But you vow to start him again after the bye-week. (Meanwhile, he runs buck-wild with 10 receptions, 3 TD's and over 30 points on your bench.)

>End of dream sequence...

It's true that he is the horse the Jaguars will be riding this year - but with their crappy set of wide receivers [One veteran (Torry Holt) who doesn't have the Pro Bowl moves anymore, two other receivers (Mike Walker and Troy Williamson) who missed a combined 15 games due to injuries last year and who caught a combined 21 passes in 17 games, and three rookies who will play in their first NFL game] - the defenses are going to be keying on MJD as the only real weapon of their offense.

Don't make the mistake of taking Maurice Jones-Drew in the first 10 picks!

2009 Fantasy Football Draft: YES - MJD will get his stats this year. But if you take him early in the first round you will be kicking yourself all year.

Minnesota Vikings Devoting 40 Percent of Playbook to Brett Favre

According to Charlie Walters - 40 percent of the Vikings' 2009 playbook is being customized for the pending signing of quarterback Brett Favre...

Detroit Lions: Will Stafford Start In 2009?

Reports indicated that a few months ago, the Lions were interested in acquiring a backup veteran quarterback.

Now that all the off-season workouts have been completed, it appears the Lions have put those plans on hold.

Some of that has to do with the progress of Drew Stanton, but most of it has to do with the development of rookie Matthew Stafford. The real issue here is what the Lions are looking for out of their No. 3 QB. Before and after the draft, the Lions talked about adding a veteran backup because they weren't sure how quickly Stafford would be ready. They didn't want to get into a situation where Daunte Culpepper would start the season and then get hurt and then be forced to go with a raw rookie.

That situation has changed. The Lions are now very confident that Stafford will be ready for the start of the regular season. That changes the role at No. 3 because the Lions don't need an experienced player there.

Former NFL QB Steve McNair Killed

AP reports that Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair has been shot and killed.

Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron confirmed that police were called to a residence and found McNair and a woman shot to death inside. Aaron said authorities don't yet know the circumstances of the shooting.

"I don't have any answers for you now as to what's happened, who's responsible," he said.

Aaron said police have tentatively identified the woman but did not release her name.

McNair played 13 seasons in the NFL and led the Titans within a yard of forcing overtime in the 2000 Super Bowl. The former third overall draft pick also played for the Baltimore Ravens before retiring after the 2007 season.

"He was one of the finest players to play for our organization and one of the most beloved players by our fans," Titans owner Bud Adams said in a statement. "He played with unquestioned heart and leadership and led us to places that we had never reached, including our only Super Bowl."

Northcutt to Roar with Lions?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have traded receiver Dennis Northcutt to the Detroit Lions for safety Gerald Alexander.

The deal was finalized Tuesday after both players passed physicals.

Northcutt gives the Lions a veteran receiver opposite rising star Calvin Johnson.

Alexander, a second-round pick in 2007, gives Jacksonville depth in the secondary. He started 16 games as a rookie, but missed most of last year following a neck injury.

Northcutt, who has 364 receptions for 4,584 yards and 17 touchdowns, has been projected to start this season. But Jacksonville’s three rookie receivers were impressive enough during offseason drills that Northcutt became expendable.